Brisbane Roar Youth has extended their unbeaten run in the PlayStation4 National Premier Leagues Queensland to five matches, securing a 4-1 win over Olympic FC in tonight’s rescheduled Round 8 match at Perry Park.
After a goalless first half, Nick D’Agostino, who made his senior debut for the club in Wednesday’s 3-0 LFP World Challenge tour match against La Liga’s Villarreal CF, opened the scoring just after the hour mark.
Right-back Benji Lyvidikos and substitutes Abrahim Yango and Conor O’Neill added second half goals with Michael Lee scoring a late consolation for Olympic FC.
Chances were few and far between in an even opening half with the first real chance of the match falling to D’Agostino who sent his ninth-minute free kick just over the cross bar after referee Trent Sleeman awarded a set piece in a promising position.
Olympic skipper Danny Byrne saw Roar ‘keeper Tomislav Bilic off his line on the 20 minute mark and tried his luck from long range but his effort was also marginally high of the woodwork.
At the other end of the park, the Young Roar went even closer as Jaiden Walker found Shelford Dais down the left wing. The club’s recently-named Foxtel National Youth League Player of the Year sidestepped three Olympic defenders before forcing debutant goalkeeper Duncan Short into a reactive save.
With the scores deadlocked, each coach made a substitute around the hour mark. The Roar’s John Sime brought on Abrahim Yango while Jim Bellas replaced former Roar youngster Costa Psaros with Dylan Wenzell-Halls who drew a diving save from Bilic just minutes after his introduction.
However, it was Brisbane’s change that drew the rewards.
Captain Mitch Hore allowed Yango to open the Olympic defence with a cheeky back-heel, the substitute’s dazzling run into the penalty area allowed D’Agostino to shoot on the turn and make it 1-0.
Two minutes later, Lyvidikos doubled the his side’s advantage with a deflected shot from long range before Yango turned goal-scorer, rounding Short in the 74th minute to put the Roar 3-0 up.
Michael Lee pulled one goal back late for the visitors before Young Roar substitute Conor O’Neill reinstated his side’s three goal advantage in the 87th minute with a sweet, curling strike from the edge of the area to confirm the 4-1 result.
Roar Youth coach Sime said he was pleased with the effort of the players, particularly after a deadlocked first half.
“The start of the game was quite difficult for us to be honest and even though it finished quite well, in the first half we didn’t play well or go to the plan that we implemented and we struggled,” he said.
“I said at half-time, we were lucky to be in the game at 0-0 because I thought Olympic, on pressure, deserved some reward. Once we rectified a few problems at half-time, we went out and I thought we controlled the game and deservedly won.”
Brisbane Roar 4 (Nicholas D’AGOSTINO 65′, Benjamin LYVIDIKOS 67′, Abrahim YANGO 74′, Conor O’NEILL 87′)
Olympic FC 1 (Michael LEE 86′)
Round 8 (rescheduled) PlayStation4 National Premier Leagues Queensland 2015
Saturday, 6 June at Perry Park, Brisbane
Referee: Trent Sleeman
